Mild brain injury New Zealand's hidden curse

Researchers in New Zealand say traumatic brain injury has reached epidemic proportions there and has most likely been greatly underestimated in other countries.

A team from Auckland's University of Technology found that rates of traumatic brain injury, which can be caused by any kind of knock to the head, are 30 to 40 per cent higher than in Europe or North America.

"Mild traumatic brain injury is usually characterised by very short loss of consciousness or memory loss to the event of the injury, which is lasting less than 24 hours," he told Radio Australia's Pacific Beat.